S. D. Evans
S. D. Evans, now living retired in his comfortable residence at No. 411 East High street, Lima, is one of the best-known railroad men of this section, and is also an honored survivor of the Civil War, in which he served almost continuously from its beginning to its triumphal close. Mr. Evans was born August 29, 1842, in Fairfield County, Ohio, and is a son of William H. and Caroline (Eleck) Evans.
The name of Evans was well-known among the pioneer settlers of Allen County. The father of S. D. Evans came here in 1848. He became a prominent farmer and also followed his trade of blacksmith in Marion township, where he and his wife passed away.
S. D. Evans attended the primitive log schoolhouse in the vicinity of his father's farm. He was 18 years old when the Civil War came upon the land, and was one of the first in his locality to proffer his services when a call was made for soldiers for a term of three months. He enlisted on April 20, 1861, in Company F., 20th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf., and was mustered in at Columbus. His regiment was used in guarding the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad lines in West Virginia. After the close of his first term he came home, but on February 6, 1862, he reenlisted, entering Company F, 46th Reg. Ohio Vol. Inf. During the years which followed, Mr. Evans saw much of the hardship and hazard of a soldier's life, his regiment taking an active and important part in some of the most dangerous campaigns of those years. At the battle of Shiloh he received two wounds; but he was too good a soldier to permit these to incapacitate him long, and he was soon on duty and participated in the seige of Corinth, the march to Memphis and to Vicksburg, the long siege there, then back and up the Mississippi, across to Chattanooga, in the terrible fight on Missionary Ridge and then to the relief of Burnside at Knoxville. Then followed the wearying march to Scottsboro, Alabama, where the regiment was veteranized. Mr. Evans reenlisted for a possible three years more, enjoyed his furlough of 30 days at home, and then returned to his regiment, which took part in the Atlanta campaign with General Sherman, participated in the last fight, at Bentonville, and then covered with rags and glory, with battle-flags showing the rents of shot and shell, made the long march to Washington, D. C., and participated in the Grand Review. He was honorably mustered out of the service on July 22, 1865. For 18 months of his service he was detailed as orderly to his colonel.
After the close of the war, Mr. Evans returned home and soon entered into the service of the C., H. & D. Railway, with which company he served as freight conductor for 11 years and as passenger conductor for 20 years. He retired from the railroad in October, 1901, with an honorable record and with the most cordial relations existing between him and his superiors in the service. Mr. Evans is one of the stockholders of the Consumers Fuel, Building & Supply Company and has numerous other business interests in Lima.
On September 3, 1868, Mr. Evans was married to Zerelda Bussert, who died in 1901. She was a daughter of Abraham Bussert, one of the earliest settlers in Allen County. Two children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Evans, namely: Mr. M. S., an engineer on the C., H. & D. Railway; and Maud, deceased in 1891, who graduated from the Lima High School and became the wife of Lewis Sanford.